Repentance leads to God’s payback

The God of Payback may not sound like an attribute of God that we’re accustom to, some of you may not have even heard of this.

You may even be appalled at the audacity of my making such a claim. However, before you cast stones at me please allow me to present the scriptures and turn your attention to what has always been written in the Bible regarding this aspect of God’s nature.

It was the prophet Joel who declared the words of God, “I will repay you the years the locusts have eaten …”. The earlier verses in Joel chapter 2 reveal the prerequisite for God’s payback, is repentance.

The Prophet Isaiah declared “… the day of vengeance of our God” Isaiah 61:2. The earlier verses in this chapter tell us that God has called us to help others so that He would pay back their losses and bless them abundantly!

Isaiah 59: 12-16 reveals two things which appalled God in the midst of all the corruption and injustice in the nation at the time, which were:

There was no justice (verse 15) – no payback for the injustices going on!

There was no one who would intervene for what was going on (verse 16). No-one to intervene against the normalcy of corruption, wickedness and injustices!

To help us understand the second point, The Apostle Paul said, “God’s intent was that now through the church His manifold wisdom would be revealed to the powers and authorities…” Ephesians 3:10.

Augustine rephrased it like this, “Without God we can’t, but without us God won’t!”

What both Paul and Augustine are saying is that God has chosen to do all He has purposed to do through us, His chosen ones. So, in the instance of Isaiah 59:16, God was appalled because no one wanted to be used by him to bring about His justice. God still seeks those who will stand up for justice.

Jesus told us a parable to reveal this aspect of God’s nature in Luke 18:1-8. There are many great messages preached from this text about the need to be persistent in prayer, and that is true for verse one states this. However, in the context of the parable, Jesus is encouraging us to be persistently praying and asking for justice against our adversary.

It’s a parable about a judge who neither feared God or man. Yet the persistent and unwavering plea of a widow for justice against her adversary, caused him to relent to her plea, lest she wear him out. Then Jesus emphasised this point, “…and will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you he will see that they get justice and quickly!

Psalm 37:28 says, “God loves justice and will not forsake his holy ones.”

And Psalm 97:2 states, “Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of God’s throne.”

There are many more scriptures which reveal this aspect of God’s nature but that would require a series of teachings, not an article.

So what picture do these scriptures, and other scriptures, reveal about this aspect of God’s nature?

In other words, if God hasn’t issued justice for his faithful ones then He has forsaken them. We know that God would never forsake us, and neither will he kept putting us off, for Jesus promised to always be with us, and that God would see that we get justice and quickly! Matt 28:20, John 14:18 and Luke 18:7-8

2. Psalm 103:6 NIV “…the Lord works Righteousness and Justice for all who are oppressed”

It is the Lord himself will work Justice on our behalf.

You may say, “well I’ve been oppressed many times, where was God’s justice then? Why hasn’t God worked justice in my situation? Or why don’t we see God’s justice outworked in many situations in life”

I certainly wanted justice and payback when I was battling with cancer last year, and there are many situations I see around me, and I feel angry at the oppression and injustice brought on others.

The Bible says’ “…there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person’s misery weighs heavy on them” Ecclesiastes 8:6.

Please stay with me as I digress to tell a story which will put Ecclesiastes 8:6. into context;

Those who are aged 20 and over will know that the date 9:11 is synonymous to the attack on the Twin Towers in New York. Its impact was felt around the world and was the introduction of an epoch new season of mass attacks in a new form, using public transportation as a weapon.

For the sake of space on this page I will not go into the details of this part of our history. What many may not know is that there was compensation set up for those directly affected by this attack to the tune of millions (so I was told). Those affected had to apply for this compensation, which then went to a judiciary who would consider their application while they waited, then give their decision to the applicant.

A chilling question went through my mind regarding this; What if people didn’t know about the compensation? Cold answer: they never received it. Then I thought, “What if those affected didn’t apply? Cold answer: they never received it.

I thought about this compensation from the Twin Towers and the application process that had been required for those who knew about it and had applied. I thought about God bringing justice for his chosen ones, how he would not put them off, but would see that we got justice quickly. I thought about Isaiah’s words, how God was appalled that no-one would intervene. Then I reflected on Ecclesiastes 8:6 “...there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person’s misery weighs heavy on them.”

During my battle with cancer last year I saw four keys as the procedure for invoking God’s justice in our situation, and I’m using these keys to bring justice for myself, my family and for others. I pray they will equip you with the tools necessary for bringing justice for yourself and others.

The four are;

1. Repent: The Foundation of God’s throne is Righteousness and Justice. If you are not right with God, you will not be able to access His Justice.

2. Forgive: Forgive those who have hurt you or are the cause of the injustice toward you or others. Stop blaming other people and forgive.

3. Ask God for Justice: Job 22:28 says, “… what you decide on, will be done …” be specific for what you ask for, what you decide on will be done.

4. Wait for God to answer and let Him work justice on your behalf. The prophet Isaiah’s words sum it up perfectly; “Nevertheless, the Lord will wait so he can be gracious to you, and thus he will rise up to show you mercy. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who wait on Him.” Is 30:18